Authors: Vivienne Harris-Scott
Ethan and Vi
2 rue Le Tassé, 75016, Paris. France.
“
We have been through an awful lot
together, and I
’
m not sure we were very good at it, but
this? This we
’
re good at. We can be friends E. I know we
can.
”
she says softly.
They haven
’
t seen each other in two weeks since the
day of her engagement party to Julian, so she was thrilled when he asked her to
come to her place to have lunch and take a dip in the covered pool.
Maybe, they can indeed be friends after
all she thought, as she had rushed to see him, because in truth, she does miss
talking to him. E. still knows her better than anyone. When things are good
between them, there is simply no one else she
’
d rather be with. A lot like Kevin, but
with their own codes.
They were holding hands sitting by the
pool, their feet in the water.
Looking at their interlaced fingers, he
stared at the engagement ring she was wearing and said in a low, strained
voice,
“
I tried to be a gentleman about this, but
you need to go.
”
He looked up, and their eyes met, his
filled with unbearable pain, hers with incomprehension,
–
didn
’
t he
ask her to come over? -,
“
RIGHT NOW
”
, he shouted, as he got up, and unable to
look at her, pursued,
“
Letting you go was and still is the
hardest thing I have ever done. I am a man who lost his career and didn
’
t even blink, I lost my one and only son,
my own flesh and blood and didn
’
t collapse, so my threshold for pain I would say is
high, BUT you need to go. I
’
m in love with you, still. So, please for God
’
s sake, just go while I still can let you.
Please!
”
“
E. I don
’
t
…”
she started, his outburst shocking her,
as she was slowly getting up from the pool, cupping her belly to steady
herself, but he interrupted her, helping her out, and giving her a towel while
saying,
“
Vic. Please. I thought I could. I was
wrong. That
’
s all there is to it.
”
“
When are you leaving?
”
she asked with a barely audible small
voice.
They looked at each other for what seemed
an eternity until he replied,
“
Tonight. I
’
m on the 11 p.m. flight.
”
“
Will you tell Julian?
”
she asked in strangled voice. She was
getting hotter, and felt like the ground was slipping under her feet.
He chuckled derisively asking,
“
Tell him what? That I still love you? That
I
’
ll remain in love with his future wife
until I die? That the friendship we have is all but over?! That I thought I was
a better man, but truth is, I
’
m as selfish as ever and still want what I want?
…”
he walked into the adjacent lounge,
leaving her behind by the covered pool.
Ethan was pouring himself a glass of
scotch praying she
’
s just leave and not come in, even to say
goodbye.
He knew she was disappointed in him; that
he was still weak and a coward. A fickle child as she used to call it. Stomping
his feet or behaving erratically when he doesn
’
t get what he wants. She used to find it
charming
…
He is in deep thoughts. He needs to leave.
He is leaving. Go back home to Australia, leave the triplex he just bought in
Paris for her; in truth he bought it for them, to be with her. But he realized
today, it will never be, that
’
s why he booked the first flight out. And he can
’
t be her friend either. He thought he
could; after all, they did say their goodbye to their husband and wife
relationship when she came to Sydney. They had it out, after five years of
silence and he was at peace. Finally. He could let her go without regrets. He
did let her go. Hell, he was the one who offered friendship. Yes, he thought it
would be simpler. In fact, since he knows her inside out, friendship is the
natural flow from a great love. Because that
’
s what they had. A great love. But once
again, he is the weakest link. As long as she didn
’
t have
his
ring on her finger, as
long as she wasn
’
t living with
him
, there was hope
their
relationship had a chance to break off; now, things have changed. She is
wearing the ring and is living with him, in spite of this grandiose place he
purchased for her. He lost her in spite of doing whatever it took, and he is
tired. He can
’
t bear the sight of that ring on her. He
never will. But he wants her happy, so he
’
ll go. Remove himself as a distraction, or
a factor of discontentment in
their
couple. Julian will never say it
aloud but he
’
ll be relieved to see him as far away from
her as possible. He won
’
t mind the odd visit here and there, he
knows that, but they both know Ethan will always be a danger to
them
,
even enveloped in the cloth of friendship. Too much history, and she already
knows what he can do for her, the lengths he
’
ll go to. This isn
’
t the classical faraway greener pastures;
not when the alternative is two blocks down the street, facing you right in the
face if you ever slip or are simply tempted.
He feels her behind him. Not daring to
look at her, he adds ice to the glass and takes another sip, hoping she
’
d take the hint he wants to be left alone.
((~~!~~))
She could see the emotions in his eyes, first the
anger, the jealousy, and then the dangerous glint of pure possessiveness. It
was still there.
The second he had asked her to come by the
triplex in for lunch, exactly two weeks after her engagement party to Julian;
party that he had abruptly left, she knew what was coming
…
She had simply nodded when he had suddenly
walked out on her that night as if her mere vicinity was suddenly absorbing the
air he needed to stay alive.
They had a sparring match few hours before
the event, so she wasn
’
t all that surprised by his reaction.
((~~!~~))
Her luggage was in the entrance, waiting to be picked
up by the chauffeur. She was moving out of her own house to move into Julian
’
s penthouse. Tonight.
“
I can
’
t watch you marry another man. I thought I
could but I can
’
t. I
’
m still in love with you, in spite of
time, so when that changes
…
maybe we can be friends, real friends, but right now,
I can
’
t. I
’
m happy for you because I want you to be
happy, I just can
’
t witness it, not yet.
”
He was pouring himself a drink, and she
was talking to his back. He clearly refused to even look at her.
“
I had you first and I
’
m sure as hell not ready to let you
go...but
…”
he had
said intensely, his voice echoing in the glass sunroom.
"Is this what you
really want," He had licked his lips as he turned around to face her,
"Tell me, is this what you want?" he repeated when their faces were
only a mere inch apart.
She had lifted her body
up on her tiptoes, her mouth meeting his, but hesitating, in a guilt-ridden
kiss. He had closed the gap, careful not to grip her shoulder too tightly, but
dead set on relaying with every fibre of his being that he wasn't going down
without a fight even if it looked like the chips were down and he was out for
the count.
He had taken a breath
as his fingers trailed along her neck, "Tell me right now you don't want
me Vic and I'll leave you alone, hell, I'll even find the strength to watch you
make a fool of yourself with Julian, I'll forget how my name sounds on your
lips
…
" His face moving closer to hers, "
…
Just before you come." He had closed his eyes,
"I'll walk away from everything I feel and let you have your future with
him. So tell me, we are truly done. You don
’
t want me. Not now, not
ever again."
Ethan had sounded exhausted, as if the
request had taken a physical toll on him.
She is silent, but her
eyes never leave his.
Finally, her voice cracks, and she murmurs
“
E
…”
but he puts a finger on her lips and says
shaking his head,
”
Don
’
t say anything, because I know you
’
d convince me to go to the party and stay
in Paris and I would, so don
’
t.
”
After the party, they don
’
t see nor speak to each other for two
weeks, until he calls and announces, he
’
s got something to tell her, and it can
’
t wait.
((~~!~~))
He feels her hand on his and he turned towards her.
When their eyes meet, she is smiling broadly at him. What surprises him more
are her words,
“
Thanks E. I
’
ll go and I will miss you, deeply. I mean
it. I get it. I think you are wrong but I do get it. I will respect your wish.
”
she sighs,
“
And you have changed. You are the better
man in spite of your tendencies to self-loath more than most
…”
She stretches her legs on her toes to give
him a light kiss on the lips, adding,
“
I do hope you will reconsider. I wanted
you here for the birth
…
I
…”
her voice trails, and adding with mirth,
”
Well, I know Julian will be disappointed.
He was counting on you for baby-sitting duties
…”
Ethan finally smiles and says,
“
Maybe.
”
He walks her towards the door,
“
You still need to go, though.
”
“
All right. All right. I
’
m going! Think about what I said
…”
she reiterates as she is wrapped in her
coat and standing at the porch, and just as she walks through the door, she
slightly turn around and says with a smile,
“
E? This is a good goodbye.
”
She leaves the property without glancing
back, as she always does.
“
Maybe.
”
he repeats as he watches her silhouette
retreat into the street, leaving to go back to Julian and the home he bought
for her, for them, two streets away.
((~~!~~))
As he is settled for the long haul, he still thinks of
her, their last kiss this very afternoon.
He also thinks, the next time, he sees her
she will have a new baby and a new husband.
Where does it leave him?
Nowhere. That
’
s why he
’
s not sure he
’
ll ever set foot in Paris, or see her
again.
It simply hurts too much to think of what
they had, and what they won
’
t.
He ponders over the irony of having the love
of his life starting a new family with the man closest to him.
Nothing prepared him for that.
He
’
s Ethan McGregor, never used to being
second in anything.